Help Me Make It Through The Night
by Aggie1013
Summary: Sleepless Grissom seeks comfort in an unexpected place. SPOILERS for Gum Drops COMPLETE


Upon hearing a knock at the door, Sara lifted her head from the book she was reading and glanced at her watch. It's gone midnight and her eyes immediately wandered towards her gun, laying only few feet away.

The knock persisted, more loud this time.

"Who is it?"

She walked over to the door, putting her hand on the doorknob, as his voice filtered through.

"It's me, Sara."

She turned the lock and opened the door, to reveal Grissom standing outside, dressed in black trousers and a t-shirt. The worn-out look on his face pained Sara's heart.

"Griss... What um... what are you doing here?"

"Greg snores."

Grissom stated as a matter-of-factly, his hands in his pockets, as he gave Sara a weak smile and shrugged.

Sara stared at him for a few seconds, until reality had sunk in and it dawned on her what he was asking.

It didn't mean that his unspoken request hasn't made her nervous.

"Come in."

Grissom hesitated for a brief moment, as if something in his mind was still questioning the decision to come here. Sara was looking in his eyes, seeking reassurance, and nodding slightly, he brushed past her, as he breached an unfamiliar territory.

The door closed behind Grissom, as Sara slowly faced him, her eyes however, darting from one side of the room to the other.

Silence fell between them and the walls built so carefully began to crumble.

"Are you okay?"

Sara's voice sounded casual, yet it did take on slightly worried note. She's been concerned about him. Ever since they've been filled in on the case details, she noticed a change in Grissom's behaviour.

She could sense his pain and uncertainty. His anger, when he shouted at her earlier. She didn't resent him for that. She wanted to understand.

Grissom looked down and Sara could feel the torment in his mind. The whirlwind of emotions in his head, as he fruitlessly tried to make out the answer.

Instead, he lifted his head and looked at her, his eyes dark with desire and pain alike. He held her gaze long enough to let her know that this wasn't just apology.

"About this afternoon, Sara... I'm sorry."

Sara waited for him to continue. She wasn't sure what she'd expected him to say. Why did he lose his temper, what kind of demons are overtaking his soul? Why is he battling it alone?

So many questions formed in her mind, as she tried to understand the man before her.

Grissom didn't say anything else and Sara figured she would have to acknowledge his apology somehow.

"It's okay."

They looked at each other for a few more moments, before Grissom turned around and sat in the chair, that's been occupied by Sara only minutes ago. He glanced at the files spread out on the table, seeking Sara's permission to go through them. She moved to the table and pointed out her observations regarding the case.

Grissom listened, as she went into work mode, explaining to him the inconsistencies and gaps she's found in the course of going through the files.

"Have a look for yourself."

Grissom heard Sara say, and looking up, he found her smiling at him.

"I'm going to the bathroom. Make yourself comfortable, okay?"

Sara was halfway through the room, when his unusually low voice caught her.

"Thank you."

Little smile crept onto her lips, as she closed the bathroom door behind her.

Standing under the stream of hot water, Sara was thinking about Grissom and the recent events. It hasn't been easy on anybody, but especially him.

He came to her tonight.

She wasn't sure of the real purpose behind his visit, but hoping that it wasn't just a momentary lapse on his part. Even if it was, Sara didn't care. She would never turn him away, the whole meaning behind her purpose of being here suddenly made sense, as she welcomed his vulnerability, his walls crumbling in front of her.

She'd questioned his choices before. She would spend countless night, laying awake in her bed, trying to understand his reasons for choosing to live his life the way that he did.

She would seek some sort of explanation for his behaviour, a trigger to his reactions.

And the more time she'd spend analysing his mind, the less she knew.

Until tonight.

Seeing him standing outside her door, made it clear what he really wanted. Even if Grissom himself couldn't find the strength within his heart to admit it yet.

It was good enough for her.

Stepping outside the bathroom, Sara was alarmed to find the chair empty Her eyes darted anxiously around her, until stopping on the bed. Letting out a breath, she didn't know she was holding, Sara slowly made her way across the darkened room, lit only by the small lamp on the bedside table.

Grissom was sprawled on the bed, his eyes were closed and his breathing slow and rhythmic. His face has taken on a peaceful and calm expression, as if for the first time in months, maybe years, he's not been troubled by nightmares.

His glasses were still in his hand and Sara gently disentangled them from his fingers and put aside. She sat on the edge of the bed and watched him.

Sara has never seen Grissom sleeping, and yet now, here he was, asleep in _her_ bed, all the reservations about the possible consequences buried in his contented sigh, as he mumbled something, before turning on his side and continuing to dream.

He was now facing her, and, before she could stop herself, Sara caressed his cheek. A feeling of deja vu washed over her, as she remembered the last, and only time, when, under the pretence of wiping the chalk off his face, she touched him.

Tears sprung to Sara's eyes and she was overwhelmed by a sudden wave of emotion, when she realised how much she wanted that man.

She moved her face closer to his, their breathing in perfect synchrony with one another, and wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

He had come to her tonight, letting his barriers down. The question was, was she prepared to do that, too?

Her heart knew the answer, but her mind knew better than that. As much as it was breaking her heart to admit it, Sara knew this was not the time.

Grissom trusted her to take care of him for once and she would respect that, more than anything else in her life. The strength that they drew from each other was something Sara has never experienced before and nothing was ever going to get in the way of that. Grissom was her constant in life and she was going to make sure that he knew that.

Gently stroking his cheek with her thumb, Sara couldn't help herself and planted a tender kiss on his forehead, her lips lingering there longer than they should. Grissom stirred, but didn't awake.

"Sara..." he murmured, before drifting off again.

"Shhh... I'm here, Griss." She whispered.

"I'm always here."

She added quietly, with a note of regret in her voice.

With these words, she got up from the bed and got the blanket from a wardrobe. She draped it over Grissom's sleeping form, once again losing herself in the sight of his peaceful face.

Sara switched off the lamp and climbed onto the bed. She hesitated only for a moment, before putting a blanket over herself and wrapping her arms around Grissom.

He sighed contentedly, and Sara snuggled closer to him, the warmth radiating from his body, enveloping hers.

Tomorrow would come and they would have to deal with the aftermath.

But, as she listened to Grissom's regular breathing and felt his heartbeat under her palm, Sara knew that whatever the day would bring, they would always have tonight.

As she closed her eyes, slipping into dreamland, Sara wasn't even aware that Grissom was awake, taking her hand in his and holding it close to his heart.

_Tomorrow doesn't matter_, he thought, already falling back to sleep.

_As long as we have tonight._


End file.
